Mojitos and Conch fritters

Yesterday we SCUBA'd while it was raining. We were getting wet anyway. It was kinda rough but I managed NOT to chum the ocean until the second dive. You don't get sick under the water and that what counts.
Today... At lunch with mojitos and conch fritters

SCUBA

SCUBA is always a pleasure. Even though Del got attacked by tiny yellow jelly fish. Fortunately they have the lotion on the boat. With my new hood and my full wetsuit I am less at risk for a jelly fish encounter. Lots of people were getting stung. They hurt and welt up quickly but are not much worse than bee stings once you get the lotion on.
Visibility is rather poor due to the storms last week but we are in for clear weather and it should improve.

Today's diving was excellent. There was so much wildlife and beautiful coral. I can not wait to post the pictures. Alejandro was our dive master and he knows all the hiding places. There was an octopus tucked away in a hole and a porcupine fish (?). There were some other cool ones we have to look up. The best, best, best absolute bucket list of diving moment were the seahorses!!! The second one was easily 5 inches long. He must be quite old. I hope the photos come out. I was so excited. This photo is of mermaid treasure that appeared on the reef while we're were diving. I guess she lost it as she swam by.

It was my turn to get kissed by a jelly fish. I got caught just above my lip and on the cheek. A very strange sensation. The treatment is basically straight ammonia but it works. Del Suggested it was free plastic surgery to puff up my lips. Doesn't last though.

Paradise island

Carol is not a SCUBA diver so we planned an excursion to Paradise Island. According to Del is is not an island because it does not have a tree. What it does have is 4 shelters where you get Cuba Libre and Sinta Libre (Rum and coke, and rum and seven up) and snorkel equipment. It is a sand spit with a reef all the way around it. The snorkeling was great the visibility was very good. It took about 90 minutes to drive there, then we got in speedboats (after a break for Cuba Libre or sintra Libre ) and zipped out to the island about 2 miles. After the snorkeling we had lunch then drove back , in a bus because there was more rum with lunch, and stopped at a cigar factory. Happily one can get cuba libre without the cuba which is much nicer to drink when you consider that you are snorkeling 2 miles from shore surrounded by many others who have been liberally Cuba-ing their Libre.

Cigars are complicated. The two guys doing the creating and rolling make about 500 cigars a day. Knowing nothing about cigars I enjoyed learning about the different leaves, strengths etc. Bottom leaves, middle leaves and top leaves all have different purposes and flavors. Smoking one was interesting. The nicotine effect is much more subtle than a cigarette and quite pleasant, but my mouth still tasted like I had licked out a fireplace.

Today's lounging spot

Carol says hot is like cold once it gets past a certain hotness it all feels the same. Still better than cold though.

A new office

For the first 5 days Del was writing a grant. He hung out in the building with wifi and the coffee bar. Carol and I struggled deciding what to do with ourselves. Which beach? Stay at the villa? Spa? Difficult decisions. There is also a smoothie bar and the coffee bar serves this frozen coffee drink which I think is espresso, condensed milk turned into a freezie ...divine!

Comic Relief

Our ghetto golf cart. As club members in a villa we get our own golf cart for getting around the resort. (much bigger than 18 months ago). Golf carts get a lot of use and our shows it. It comes equipped with the 'no officer I have not been drinking' steering where pedestrians, oncoming vehicles, parked vehicles and , yes, slate planters are all at risk (that big scrape was there when we got it...no really) It is severely underpowered on the hills. I have thought several times we would have to ask Carol to hop off the back and run behind pushing. It also backfires at in opportune and embarrassing moments (OMG was that a gunshot? Security, shots fired in the villas....nope just us driving by)

On Vay Cay

Here we are at the Lifestyles Holiday Vacation Club, where we are members. We are staying in a 3 bedroom villa with our own private pool. A chef comes in every morning and cooks us breakfast. We can eat lunch at any number of places including the various beaches. Dinner is at a different gourmet restaurant every night. Except Sundays where there is a big party with a BBQ and fireworks.